Film Essays and Analysis
‘Joker’ Vs ‘Us’: Their Significance, Similarities – And Why Is One Missing From The Oscar Nominations? - The Oscar nominations for 2020 are out, and Sophie Butcher has a question - why has 'Joker' received so much recognition, and 'Us' none at all, despite their similarities? Click here to read in full.
Ravished by Romance – Before Sunrise’s Antithetical Approach to Love - After a quarter of a century on the big screen, why does Richard Linklater's seminal romantic piece 'Before Sunrise' still resonate with audiences? Joseph Wade explores.
Baz Luhrmann’s Iconic Postmodern Trilogy: An Exploration - Baz Luhrmann exercises postmodernism in his work through his instantly recognisable work in adaptation and reimagining, including in his three most iconic pieces, a postmodern trilogy explored by Sophie Cook.
Why ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol’ Has Become Hard To Watch - Why 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' Has Become Hard To Watch in the contemporary landscape of inequality according to Annice White.
5 Christmas Movies Rewritten According to Brexit and UK Politics - As the UK enters another General Election, Katie Doyle rewrites five Christmas classics of cinema to fit the modern political discourse in this entertaining piece.
What ‘Le Mans 66’ Gets Right That Other Motorsport Films Did Not - Does 'Ford v Ferrari' manage to satisfy racing fans as it seems to be pleasing filmgoers? Dan Mason analyses in this special feature. 
Shot For Shot: Safe-Theft Scene in Hitchcock’s ‘Marnie’ (1964) - Over half a century later, Hitchcock's movies still have us on the edge of our seats. But why? Kieran Judge breaks down how he masterfully manipulates his audience in a shot-by-shot analysis of a scene from 'Marnie' (1964).
Analyzing ‘Star Wars’ Lore: The Jedi - The history, development and contradictions in Jedi lore in the 'Star Wars' franchise. Article by Jacob Davis.
A24 Horror: Success, Religion and Difference in Modern American Cinema - How A24 have managed to tap into the zeitgeist with recent releases 'The Witch' and 'Hereditary' to offer horrors that do more than make you jump out of your skin. Article by Beth Sawdon.
Joker: Incels, Violence, the Alt-Right – Tackling the Discourse Around 2019’s Most Controversial Movie - Jacob Davis tackles the hysteria surrounding Todd Phillips' 'Joker' (2019), breaking down the discourse forged by the opinions of high-ranking journalists in an attempt to get to the bottom of the controversy. 
Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions: Expectations of Star Wars Lore in the 21st Century - How expectations regarding 'Star Wars' lore have been cultivated and why it isn't the end of the world that you don't know anything about Snoke. 
The Wizard of Oz – 80 Years of Social Relevance - The impact of 'The Wizard of Oz', its context to politics at the time and the profound effect it had during the 2nd world war examined in the year of its 80th anniversary by Beth Sawdon.
A Textual Critique of ‘Stand Your Ground’ - 2014 Michael McClendon movie 'Stand Your Ground' sides you with the assailant in a "based on true events" story of a real-life murder trial from the perspective of the perpetrator's mother. Jacob Davis explores its problematic stance.
The Art of the Social Media Thriller; Narcissism, Paranoia and Tools for Good or Ill - "Technological paranoia has always been great fuel for exciting films and filmmaking." Sam Sewell-Peterson takes us through 4 of the best examples from the recent trend of Social Media Thrillers.
Far From Home – Throwing Shade at the Superhero Factory - "Compelling character first, crash-bang-wallop second", the compelling subtext of 'Spider-Man: Far from Home' (2019), by Sam Sewell-Peterson.
Far from Home – E.D.I.T.H. and the Morality of the MCU - Spider-Man: Far from Home introduces a problematic new piece of technology that illustrates a genre shift in politics that Jacob Davis explores, here.
It Just Might be His Masterpiece: Revisiting Tarantino’s ‘Inglourious Basterds’ Ten Years Later - Will Quentin Tarantino ever top 'Pulp Fiction'? Maybe he already has. Samuel Sybert breaks down the artistry behind the iconic director's 'Inglourious Basterds'. 
A Textual Analysis of ‘John Wick Chapter 3 – Parabellum’ - An analysis of the use of colour and the narrative progression on offer in 'John Wick Chapter 3 - Parabellum' by Jacob Davis.
Loki: The Development of One of Marvel’s Greatest Villains - He became one of the most iconic superhero villains of all time. In this feature, Francesca Militello charts Loki's development from prince to villain to brother between 'Thor' and 'Infinity War'.
Laika Animation: Meditations on Alienation and Death… for Kids! - Laika, the stop-motion animation house behind 'Kubo and the Two Strings' and 'Missing Link', have been tackling soft subjects in child friendly ways for a decade. Sam Sewell-Peterson takes a look at how they made death and alienation not only digestible but also relatable.
A Clockwork Orange In Retrospect – Its Themes, Its Reception and Kubrick’s Directorial Masterclass - 'A Clockwork Orange', the controversial 1971 release from directorial master Stanley Kubrick, has been analysed by Lucas Hill-Paul regarding its themes, reception and delivery in this exclusive retrospective.
From Final Girls to Kickass Women – What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley - "Ellen Ripley stands as one of the first pages torn out of a sexist and archaic rulebook." From Final Girls to Kickass Women - What Modern Female Protagonists Have in Common with Ellen Ripley.
The Fine Art of Black Comedy or Why It’s OK to Laugh When We Shouldn’t - Using three examples by filmmakers from three different continents, Sam Sewell-Peterson analyses the cathartic nature of Black Comedy in this special feature.
The Legacy of ‘Tomb Raider’ and Its Impact On Video Game Cinema - 21st century Hollywood's biggest attempt at a video-game-to-movie franchise, Tomb Raider, has left an enduring legacy. Craig Sheldon explores in this special feature.
Designing Nightmares: H.R. Giger and ‘Alien’ - When you think of 'Alien', you think of Ridley Scott and the Xenomorph, but the man behind the disturbing visuals is H.R. Giger, the artist profiled by Kieran Judge in this article.
The Success and Significance of The Wandering Earth - 'The Wandering Earth' has broken all sorts of records in China and at the worldwide box office. Joseph Wade tackles the significance of this success and why it is successful in this special feature.
From Captive Maiden to Captain Marvel – The Rise of the Female Action Hero - Captain Marvel is Marvel Studios' first female superhero movie lead, but it has been a long time coming. Craig Sheldon chronicles the development of female action heroes in Hollywood film.
Green Book’s Win Says More About the Academy Than Society - "A Green Book Oscars win is the cinematic equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand" writes Jacob Davis of its Oscars 2019 Best Picture win in this special opinion piece.
Green Book’s Verdant Views on Race Allow Inherent Contradiction - Jacob Davis goes to task on one of this Oscars season's most divisive and controversial films, questioning the morals and ethics of Peter Farrelly's 'Green Book'.
A Millennial’s Take on Vice - Approaching Adam McKay's Dick Cheney biopic 'Vice' from the perspective of someone too young to remember Cheney properly is Jacob Davis.
Director Spotlight: Na Hong-Jin - South Korean director Na Hong-Jin has developed a recognisable style throughout his three releases to date, something Kieran Judge dissects and celebrates in this Director Spotlight.
The Worst Show – A Historian’s Account of The Greatest Showman’s Problematic Retelling of History - "It’s not hard in this day and age to get your facts right and do some research." - a historian's account of The Greatest Showman's problematic retelling of history (by Darcy Rae).
“Shut Up and Deal” – How ‘The Apartment’ is Far From a Typical Christmas Love Story - With "sex, adultery and even suicide", Billy Wilder's 1960 comedy/drama 'The Apartment' is far from your typical Christmas love story. Craig Sheldon explores in this retrospective look at the all time classic. 
An Introduction to the Cinematography in Abel Gance’s ‘Napoleon’ (1927) - An introduction to the cinematography of the hugely influential French filmmaker Abel Gance via his epic genre classic 'Napoleon' (1927), by Francesca Militello.
The Man of Rearden Steel: Objectivism in Contemporary Cinema - Ayn Rand's Objectivism isn't only potent in 'Batman v Superman' but an unfortunate philosophy of film in general, according to Jacob Davis. 
The History of Zombies in Cinema - Drawing from John Landis' "Monsters in the Movies", Rhian Gillah explores the development of zombies throughout cinematic history. 
Jacob’s Ladder: A Masterpiece Often Forgotten - Why more people should remember 'Jacob's Ladder', a film that "takes the themes and iconography of horror and moves into something deeper and more meaningful" according to Kieran Judge.
Instruments of Terror: The Music In Horror Films - "music was the hot new thing in town and no other genre would benefit more than Hollywood’s angsty teenage brother, the horror film." Craig Sheldon's exploration of music in horror films, here.
A Look Inward: Introspection in A Star Is Born - "Seeing someone’s true self is important in 'A Star Is Born', but being able to look at one's self is even more important." Introspection in 'A Star Is Born', by Jacob Davis. 
Fabric Love: Costume in Gay Cinema - The role of clothing in male-male romances is very distinct. Annice White takes you through the how and why with comparisons between 'Call Me By Your Name', 'God's Own Country' and 'Brokeback Mountain'.